Sins of the Father
by TheRealBatmen
Summary: The Five Kingdoms are at war but trying to reach peace. At the same time, suspicious circumstances arise in outlying villages, and tribes that once kept to themselves are losing their timidity. Fantasy AU. Rated M for language, violence, adult themes. Trying to keep backstories similar to canon to keep characters in character. Ninjas are now mages/magewarriors. Probable pairings.
1. Chapter 1: Naruto

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

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Someone was out there. Naruto felt it. His team wasn't with him now but regardless he dashed headlong, gliding past the forest trees, his gut urging him to chase after a phantom sensation. Dusk fell and overtook most of the light. He saw flickering in the distance and raced toward it. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Naruto braced himself against the cold winds and rainwater. As he neared his destination the air thickened and warmed, almost pleasantly, except it spoke of bad news. Smoke. Light flickered around the woods ahead of him. If this was a forest fire it would be a bitch to put out despite the rain.

He made it past another oak and stopped. A cabin stood before him, ensnared in flames like a snake strangling its prey tighter and tighter. He saw more buildings burning behind this one. A village, then, but…. No people running about, no screaming.

" _Hello_." Naruto heaved his voice over the blaze's crackles and the wind's cackles. He could no longer sense the energy that brought him here. "Hey, anybody around?"

Calling out, he realized, wasn't smart if there actually were enemies about, but what the hell. Let them know his presence.

Naruto flared his energy, signaling his teammates again, and at the same time closed his eyes. He sensed their energies drawing towards him from several directions, Sasuke closest, then Sakura, and last Kakashi who'd been scouting ahead. It'd be a few minutes but they were on their way. He scanned for any other nearby energies again, detected nothing.

 _But something's off about this place_. When Magelord Tsunade had given them this mission, she said it was different. Strange. Investigative rather than the more or less straightforward beat-up-the-bad-guys, escort, or message delivery missions they frequently received. They'd been getting reports of villages, like this one, found abandoned or ablaze, which Naruto didn't think was too out of the ordinary considering the war with the other kingdoms.

The odd thing was there were no bodies.

It didn't make sense. The creepy Dorago tribes were in the distant south, and the cave dwellers of the Earth Kingdom thankfully never traveled far from their mountains. And war was rarely bloodless or neat.

Naruto shook his head, placed a palm on the hilt of his sword, and ventured deeper into the flaming village, searching for any signs of life. Or death.

The heat became overbearing the farther he went. He could boast little water magic and would have to wait for his teammates to arrive if they wanted to control the fire. His feet sunk into sticky, chilled mud, and he gazed at the flames around him. They leapt off cabin timber, swirled with the wind and raindrops, the elements dancing together like master swordsmen fighting aimlessly.

"Naruto."

Sasuke Uchiha appeared beside him, clad in his brown cloak and persistent emotionless expression. He surveyed the area, paying Naruto no attention.

"Good of you to show up," Naruto said. "It's never a party unless you're here."

Sasuke didn't reply. Asshole.

"Anyway, it's pretty much like what the reports said." Naruto moved further into the burning village. "No sign of anybody yet, no bodies. We should take care of the fire and then search for any evidence of what—"

" _Shut up_ ," Sauske hissed.

Before Naruto could form a rebuttal, he saw Sasuke alert, peering at something behind him.

Naruto turned, didn't see anything, but heard the sigh-like crack of a burning building as it collapsed in on itself, finally surrendering to the blazes. Then a man completely clad in white robes bolted out of the flames and sank his hand into Naruto's abdomen.

Pain erupted in Naruto's belly like boiling water scorched his innards, and he crumpled onto the ground screaming, the robed man still holding onto him. Naruto balled his hand into a fist and punched.

Naruto hit air. He clutched at his abdomen, choking back his screams, and looked around. The robed man stood atop a hut, flames licking at him. Then he shot off into the dark.

Naruto expected Sasuke to chase after him but he didn't. The Mage Adept just stood there, his face twisted as though he'd swallowed spoiled milk.

"What the hell are you standing there for?" Naruto said. "Go after that bastard!"

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, his eyes unfocused. Then he shook his head and jumped onto the burning hut, and disappeared into the dark forest beyond.

 _Not like the Uchiha bastard to get spooked_ , Naruto thought. He struggled to sit up, still holding onto his abdomen. He felt drained. With each beat of his heart electricity arced down his arms and legs, up into his head. Made it hard to think or focus on anything else.

He lifted his cloak and undershirt to inspect his torso. Nothing, no markings, just the dancing light of fire.

"I hope you don't plan on taking your clothes off. It's an awfully cold night."

Naruto turned to see Sakura standing beside him, one eyebrow raised and frowning.

"Some guy in white got the jump on me. I was just checking to make sure..."

"Yeah yeah, I get it." Sakura turned away from him and peered off into darkness."I guess Sasuke is chasing him. Are you strong enough to come with me?"

Naruto started to stand, felt the electricity tear through him again, then thought better of it. "I'm okay here. You go."

Sakura nodded, "Come when you can or wait for Master Kakashi."

And she was off. Always after the Uchiha.

Naruto waited, his eyes closed, sensing his teammates energies. Sasuke had stopped somewhere ahead and Sakura was closing in on him. Master Kakashi was nearby, taking his time as usual.

 _This must be some kind of magic_ , Naruto thought when another shockwave pulsed through his body. The pain's intensity seemed to dwindle. How often it came too. _That robed asshole didn't just sucker punch me._

Several minutes passed with Naruto waiting in the mud, drenched in rain and warmed by fire. He sensed that Sasuke and Sakura were heading back here. Master Kakashi arrived and he set off to inspect the village. When the other two returned they put out the fires together.

* * *

"Tell me one more time. And don't leave _anything_ out."

Magelord Tsunade sat with hands clasped atop her wooden desk. Despite being in her fifties, she was probably more beautiful than most women Naruto had beheld in his time, at least physically. Skill with illusory magic didn't hurt, of course.

"We were investigating near the northern borders like we were told," Naruto said, careful to keep disdain out of his voice. He'd already went down that route with Tsunade once, and didn't need to again. "I sensed someone so I went to check it out. It was a burning village. When I got there I couldn't sense anyone anymore. We didn't find anything there. No bodies. I was hit in the gut by some bastard all dressed in white, and he got away. My belly still kinda hurts."

Sanzo, Tsunade's adviser snorted, and he gave his characteristic scowl.

Magelord Tsunade looked to Sasuke.

"I tried to follow him. He got away." Sasuke's gaze and voice were both perfectly level. "That's all."

Sakura nodded, a frown creeping onto her face.

"That's all?" Tsunade murmured to herself and let out a long sigh. "Master Kakashi?"

The man's mask crumpled up with a smile. "I got to play fireman."


	2. Chapter 2: Tenten

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

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The Barracks' eatery was cloaked in silence as usual. Wartime brought a great deal of work for those in that line of business, and it had a lot of business for many years. Several magewarriors, back from one mission or another, sat in scattered groups, murmuring to each other in subdued tones. Apprentices, mostly. Some few Adept.

Tenten filled her meal tray and moved to sit at her own scattered group's table. She rubbed at the scars on her back as she walked. Rock Lee regaled those present about some mission or another, his arms flailing this way and that. Shikamaru lounged in the corner. Hinata, Shino, and Kiba endured Rock Lee's tale with smiles.

"You see," Lee was saying, "they were not expecting my youthful energy and speed! So when those ruffians refused to surrender, they were unconscious before they could—"

"Did you just use the word "ruffians" for a group of bandits and murderers?" Kiba asked. Akamaru barked at his side pointedly.

Lee sputtered out, arms still airborne in some intricate gesture.

The magewarriors chuckled, and Tenten chuckled with them as she seated herself. Chuckles were good. _Haven't had many of those lately._

They ate and talked. About the bad food, recent missions, rumors, speculations. Grandmaster Jiraiya was allegedly spotted in the northeast. The Five Kingdom War would soon escalate. The Five Kingdom War would soon end in peace. When would Sakura realize Rock Lee was the man for her? The food was bad. And so on.

Master Gai strode through the messhall doors, Neji on one side and Sanzo on the other. Gai stopped to retrieve a meal tray. Their voices were quiet. But then, Tenten always had strong ears.

"—it is a very sensitive issue, one I do not think all members on your team are particularly suited for. I fear Magelord Tsunade may not be fully aware of all the pertinent details."

"And what details are those, Sanzo?" Master Gai didn't look at the adviser while he shoveled the messhall slop onto his tray. His body was stiff. Annoyed. It seemed suddenly that Sanzo had latched onto Gai with this conversation, like a fat tick that proved difficult to pluck.

"Why, the history surrounding some member of your team. The girl, to be specific."

Heat swam up Tenten's ears, through her face. She looked at her food. Didn't let her gaze wander. Why would this adviser care to discuss her? Have a problem with her? She didn't stand out in any way, good or bad.

"What about her?" An uncharacteristic edge settled into Gai's voice.

"I'm sure you are aware of the rumors..."

" _Rumors_ ," Neji's voice broke in. "Men should not give much weight to such things."

"Be that as it may, these cannot be ignored. Her questionable lineage, with the possibility of being related to the Dorago tribes... A wise man moves with caution."

At the mention of the Dorago tribes Tenten couldn't help but stand and face them. They didn't notice her from across the room.

"A _wise man_ ," Neji said, "wouldn't cut off his own hand because he heard a _rumor_ it might be infected."

"Very clever, Adept Neji. But I urge you to take heed. If there is even a small chance of disloyalty—"

"That's enough," Master Gai turned from the messhall slop.

 _Disloyalty?_ Tenten moved forward, hands balled into fists, jaw clenched. She felt flames grow in her chest. Her friends at the table muttered questions after her. Tenten just couldn't avoid her past, a past she hadn't chose and didn't want, and she'd had enough of people questioning her because of it. Disloyalty!

"Master Gai, please try to see things from my perspective. We cannot have this dangerous and sensitive matter compromised by sentiment. Our relation with these savage tribes have been tenuous at best. With their recent restlessness, it may be upsetting to bring back that girl, a girl whom some members of their tribe might recall."

Master Gai opened his mouth to speak, then noticed Tenten approaching. He shifted his gaze and stepped toward Sanzo. "We're done talking about this. Speak to Magelord Tsunade if you want to further pursue this issue, but she chose my team for a reason. Because we're damn fine at what we do, and we do it together."

The two men eyed each other for a moment. Then Sanzo saw her, and his glare faltered for a second. He backed away. "Very well, Master Gai," he said. "I will bring the matter to Magelord Tsunade's attention. I implore you think about it as well."

"I have," Gai said.

Sanzo glanced at Tenten once more, gave a stiff nod to Master Gai, and left.

Tenten glowered at him as he slid through the messhall door out into the hallway. _Disloyalty?_ It was ridiculous. _I've given my life to the Kingdom of Fire. How could he even think I would have any loyalty to the Dorago tribes._

"That didn't look like a pleasant conversation," Tenten said, because she felt she had to say something.

"Tenten!" Master Gai gave her a sparkling white grin, but Tenten saw a tinge of nervousness. Was it because he didn't know how much she heard? Most likely. Or was it because he was nervous taking her on this mission to the Dorago tribes, to the land where she was found when she was young and half-rabid. _Disloyalty?_ The word made her want to vomit, like she'd bitten into a wormy apple.

"We have another mission." Neji's pearl eyes and blank expression told her nothing. "We're the senior team present. We leave the day after tomorrow."

Neji and Master Gai went on to explain details to Rock Lee and her. She tried to focus but she lost most of what was said, instead thinking about what she'd heard, and hearing that word "disloyalty" over and over again. She fought against the angry fire building in her chest.

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Hope you enjoyed! Any criticism is welcome.


	3. Chapter 3: Sasuke

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

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Sasuke summoned fire. He cast it from his breath at the practice dummy. Then the same at another dummy, and another. He leaped from tree to tree, drawing on the wind to propel him, enveloping each dummy in flame as he passed. He let the feel of energy flowing through him be his guide.

His mind was elsewhere. _The man in white. Was it really him?_

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto called. "No more showing off. It's my turn on the course."

Sasuke landed and released the fire he'd summoned, the heat in his chest ebbing away. He started to leave.

"You're just going to go, huh? Guess you don't want to see how much I've been improving. You might get scared."

Sasuke paused for a moment, tempted to teach Naruto a lesson that might shut him up for a while. But he had better things to do and more important things on his mind. He continued on his way.

He walked for thirty minutes. An hour. Past busy streets where people shopped and talked, sharing laughs and stories and rumors. Past the walls bordering the forest. Eventually he made it to an empty wood. Where the Uchihas once called home, before the Traitor Lord destroyed them. Before he became "The Last Uchiha."

 _But... I'm not._

The sun's last light trickled through the tree branches overhead, just enough to illuminate spaces overgrown with brush where homes and other buildings used to be. Sasuke inhaled, cold winter air stinging his lungs. He could almost smell the bitter smoke from that day years ago. Hear the crackling fire.

"Do you remember much about this village?"

It was Master Kakashi, standing just behind him at his side as though they'd strolled here together. Sasuke cursed himself for not sensing his Master's approach.

"You were young when it all happened," Kakashi said. "And memories often revisited tend to loose their clarity after a while. I should know, since I used to visit here frequently when I was young. Still do today."

Sasuke looked back at the overgrown spaces. This was the first time he'd come here for many years. Some heaps of rubble dotted the earth, like tombstones marking a grave. He didn't remember as much as he'd like. And then, he remembered more than he'd like, too.

 _The Traitor Lord and his Dragon._

Sasuke closed and opened his eyes. "You have something important to say."

"Yes. A mission. Our team is part of the division that will protect Magelord Tsunade."

"Guard duty, then."

"Absolutely." The master mage smiled behind his mask. "We're to escort Magelord Tsunade to her meeting with the other four Magelords."

"Meeting?"

"To discuss terms of peace treaty. This stalemate of a war can only last for so long. People grow bored of such things."

The Five Kingdoms had been at war for as long as Sasuke remembered. Longer than he'd been alive. So long he didn't know if anyone remembered the war's cause. A dispute over land, money, insults from one kingdom to another? Battles and transgressions waxed and waned over the years but always continued. No peace in decades. And the people finally became bored now.

"What happened to give rise to this meeting?" Sasuke asked.

"Seems each Kingdom has its own problems. The seademons in the Kingdom of Water have become aggressive and are attacking ships. Cavedwellers in the Kingdom of Earth are coming out of their caves and attacking citizens. I could go on." Master Kakashi shrugged. "Look at our own issues. The Dorago tribes have become even more restless. We've found villages burned, but we've found no bodies. We all have too much food on our plates."

Sasuke nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow. We're heading southeast to the Elemental Temple."

The last light had faded and the night grew darker and colder. Sasuke summoned fire from within and brought it into his palm, felt warmth spread through his body, inside to out. Light fluttered atop the trees and grass and graves.

Sasuke looked at Master Kakashi. "Do you think there will be peace?"

"I've seen stranger things happen. So one can hope." Master Kakashi gave another shrug. There was silence for a while. Then Kakashi moved to face Sasuke. "Anyway, you've been quieter than usual ever since we returned from our last mission. Any reason for that?"

Sasuke didn't respond. Master Kakashi didn't need to know what he'd seen. What he thought he'd seen.

Images came fresh to his mind. The man in white robes springing from the fire. Striking Naruto to the earth. When he stood tall and the face under the white hood looked so much like the face of his brother, a perfect replica from Sasuke's deepest and most cherished memories, His brother who died here in this graveyard village all those years ago.

"One can hope," Sasuke said.

 _Itachi_.

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What do you guys think? I feel I have difficulty with characters as sullen as Sasuke.

Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4: Hinata

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

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The sun had just fell beneath the cloudy night sky. Hinata walked alone through the hubbub of the townsquare, the dozens of voices coalescing into a homely white noise, talking about this rumor or that. Most everyone seemed to have heard about the meeting of the five Magelord's to discuss peace. Torchlight illuminated smiling faces, store and restaurant signs, the trees and flowers that lined the sidewalks. Scents of sugary sweets and warm savory meats clung to the wind.

Hinata came to her destination. _Ichiraku's_ read the faded banner atop the little restaurant's roof. She didn't particularly love ramen, and would perhaps choose to eat elsewhere if she didn't come here in hopes of finding pleasant company.

And there he was, dressed in his aged orange tunic he always wore, the Fire Kingdom's symbol on the back. _Naruto._ Hinata approached and her gut filled with an all-too familiar nervous tickling. If it wasn't fate that the both of them had returned from their frequent missions at the same time, then what was?

That she visited here whenever she could in hopes of seeing him was besides the point.

On his left sat Sakura poking at a bowl of ramen as Rock Lee bludgeoned her with conversation. Nobody could deny he had persistence. Then there was Shikamaru and Choji with a heap of empty bowls in front of them.

"...heard Jiraiya is in the area again," Naruto was saying. "It'd be great to see the old bastard again."

The cold night grew warmer when Hinata stepped into _Ichiraku's_ and Naruto noticed her. He flashed a smile that traveled up to his tired eyes.

"Hey Hinata!" Naruto moved his sword from the seat beside him and leaned it against Ichiraku's counter. "How've you been? I haven't seen you in a while."

Hinata exchanged pleasantries with them all as she settled atop the stool and ordered a bowl of ramen. The casual and friendly atmosphere fought off the nervous tickle she'd felt, but she remained conscious of how close she and Naruto were. _I'm still that shy little girl with a crush, even after being part of this war since the moment I learned to fight. When will I have the courage to tell him how I feel?_

"How was your last mission?" Naruto asked.

"It was nothing unusual." Hinata shrugged. "More border patrol. One of the outlying villages was attacked but there wasn't any serious harm done. Most likely just bandits." It seemed like the war had come to no more than back and forth skirmishes and petty insults. Hopefully this Meeting of the Five would bring an end to it and let everyone relax for once.

"And yours?" she asked.

"Magelord Tsunade had us look into the troubles of some northwestern villages." Naruto stopped eating and frowned down at his ramen bowl, surly a strange sight. "We found burning villages, but no people. No bodies either. Some guy attacked me, and since then..."

He shook his head and rubbed at the dark rings beneath his eyes, didn't say anything more.

"Are you all right?" This was the first time Hinata had seen Naruto look so tired. She'd seen him angry, even had seen him cry a couple times when they were kids, but never exhausted. His energy and determination was boundless.

"Yeah!" Naruto hit her with a smile. More of that tickling. "Just a headache, that's all."

"Plus," Sakura's voice chimed in, "he's pissed off because he thinks Sanzo and some of the other higher-ups don't like him."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Sakura and pursed his lips. "How about you mind your own business? We could've been having a private conversation."

"Your voice doesn't allow for private conversations." Sakura gave a candy sweet smile. "You and Lee have that in common."

"What's that?" Lee said.

That much was true. It could sound like Naruto or Lee were talking to themselves if one didn't actually see other participants.

"Anyway." Naruto turned to Hinata and spoke in a faint whisper, just to prove a point. Even Hinata, who had a thing for this guy, had to admit he was a petty man. "I know they don't like me. If the nasty looks they give me aren't enough, I overheard them talking about how they don't like me progressing toward Adept, how I shouldn't be allowed on certain missions. They don't trust me. Assholes."

"Why wouldn't they?" Hinata regretted the question as it slipped out her mouth. She figured the why, felt a frown tug at the corners of her mouth. _Some people can't let go of the past._

Naruto snorted, his voice rising back to its regular volume, if somewhat hushed by disdain. "Son of the Traitor Lord, right? Of course I can't be trusted. Villainy and lust for power run in the blood."

For the briefest moment, Hinata swore she saw a fire red overwhelm the baby blue of Naruto's eyes as he scowled, and her breath stopped dead in her chest. Then Naruto rubbed at his eyes again with a sigh and they were back to baby blue.

A trick of the torchlight? Her own mind? Illusory magic? That didn't make sense on any level.

 _Something's wrong._

Silence ensued at their corner of the restaurant. The white noise of the townsquare's crowd washed over them. Ichiraku had placed a bowl of steaming ramen in front of Hinata, its warm spiced aroma dancing with her sense of smell. But she didn't feel hungry, so she just stirred the bowl's contents. Her thoughts kept drifting to the red in Naruto's eyes, wondering whether she'd seen wrong, and her gut filled heavy with worry instead of the light nervous tickling.

"Let's get back to celebrating, eh?" Naruto smiled again, but this time it didn't quite reach his eyes. "How about the Meeting of the Five? Guess who's going with, even though I'm not trusted?"

"It's just like you to brag about being picked for this mission," Shikamaru said. "Most people would be talking about whether they think we'll finally end this stupid war."

Naruto laughed at that, and the others joined in.

The rest of the night passed pleasantly until they all retired to their rooms in the barracks. Hinata normally slept well after spending time with Naruto, like she'd quenched some odd thirst and could rest easy. But sleep evaded her that night, her thoughts on those red eyes, not knowing what to make of it.

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Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think. The story should pick up soon.


	5. Chapter 5: Sasuke

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

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 _This is a waste of my time_.

It wasn't the first time Sasuke had the thought today. He and a dozen other magewarriors escorted Magelord Tsunade to the Elemental Temple to meet with the other four Magelords. In the back of his mind Sasuke recognized today should excite him. This meeting could end the war if the Magelords yanked their heads out their asses and came to an agreement.

And yet Sasuke didn't care. He wanted to head northeast, to where they'd found the burning village. Where he'd seen Itachi. He hadn't been sure it was him when it happened, otherwise he would have continued to chase after him, even after Sakura told him to stop because they couldn't keep up. But now he knew it was Itachi. He didn't have any proof but he could _feel_ it. Maybe he'd felt it his whole life since that day, unable to believe his brother was really gone. Now it was the only thing he could think about. Why would Itachi choose to stay hidden? Why burn the village? Why had he attacked Naruto? Revenge?

Instead of finding answers in the northeast they headed southeast, toward the Elemental Temple.

The sun beat down upon them, hot and angry for Wintertime. Sasuke shot from tree to tree, gathering the wind to aid him, its cool touch soothing. They'd traveled half a day now, and it was a two day journey. He combed through the forest on the left flank, sensed the energies of Naruto bringing up the rear, Sakura nearby, Master Kakashi and Master Asuma in the lead with Magelord Tsunade.

Trees became sparse, and the woods gave way to plains, rolling fields of browned grass. Their group landed and continued at a wind-empowered jog. Hours trailed by. Uneventful. Browned grass became plain dirt, rolling fields became flatland, with some mountains rising from the earth in the distance. The setting sun mimicked Sasuke's mood as he grew more and more resentful of being duty-bound to travel here rather than to the northeast.

Sasuke sensed energy flare up. Kakashi. Their group slowed, then stopped, and they all gathered toward Magelord Tsunade.

"We'll rest here for the night." Magelord Tsunade pulled back the hood of her fiery red robes and rubbed her temple, heaving a long sigh. "It'll be another half day's travel. Post sentries. No campfires. We set out when the sun rises."

With that they dispersed, unrolling sleeping bags, opening packs of trail rations, otherwise resting and chattering.

Sasuke stared at the mountains in the distance. The day's fading last light just touched a building on the nearest mountain, one side of its peaked roof reflecting with glaring intensity, the other side coated in darkness.

"Must be the Elemental Temple, huh?" Naruto squinted, arms crossed. "Doesn't look like much from here. And what a creative name! Definitely gotta have a firm understanding of magic to come up with that."

Sasuke nodded, glancing at the orange-clad magewarrior. _Itachi attacked him but it didn't look like he was trying to kill._ Odd in itself. Sasuke had hated Naruto since the day the Traitor Lord attacked his village, jealous of their growing strength. Hated him into adolescence. Hated when they were put on the same team.

Then he came to see how similar they were, how they'd both lost so much. Both grew up without family. Alone. Naruto was the only one Sasuke knew who'd experienced the same pain he had—maybe even more because the village hated him for what the Traitor Lord did—and that mutual understanding made Naruto closer to him than anyone else. Ironic in a way.

Darkness descended and brought the cold, like a horse pulling a carriage. Naruto had rejoined the rest of the squadron. Without campfires fires everyone appeared as pale outlines shifting in the night. They ate, whispered words of worry or hope about tomorrow, chuckled at this joke or that. A peculiar excitement buzzed through this group of seasoned fighters. Sasuke couldn't help but think of children staying up past their bedtime.

"Always have to be alone, huh?" Sakura moved to stand beside him on the outer edge of their encampment, away from the others. Her dark cloak blended with the night and she almost looked like a floating head. She'd stopped throwing herself at him since childhood, but that same warmth toward him remained. Something in her eyes.

Sasuke didn't know what to make of it or what to do with it. Determination to become strong drove him his entire life, to make his devastated family proud. Love didn't factor in. Not yet. And now that he _knew_ Itachi was out there, didn't just have a desperate hope clawing at his heart, he needed to find him.

"Not always," he said.

"Then how about you join the fun." Sakura had the tiniest of smiles. She often tried to pull him into interacting with the rest of the Fire Kingdom's magewarriors. "We've coerced Shikamaru to put on a play with his shadows. Should be interesting since there's barely any light."

"No. Thank you." Then, to appease her, "Next time."

The whites of Sakura's eyes narrowed and she stared at him for a moment. Searched for something. A gust of winter wind hit, made her moonlit pink hair whip around, alive, and it brought a crisp scent along, like fresh ginger root.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Sasuke paused. Opened his mouth to tell her about Itachi—she of all people would believe him, maybe help him—then stopped. _Itachi is my brother. It is only my duty to find him and find out what he's doing._

"I'll tell you," he said. "But not tonight. I have to figure it out first. Alone."

She gazed at him another moment, then nodded. "I'm here when you get tired of that." And he watched her walk back to the group, another gust of wind seeming to carry her.

* * *

Sasuke awoke to yelling. He threw off his blankets, jumped to his feet, and drew his sword. Looked around. Dawn's sunlight fluttered from the sky, casting dim rays on the flat, dirty earth around their squadron, where dozens of men skulked toward them. They were perhaps fifty feet away, spread out in a wide semi-circle, all wearing tattered brown hooded cloaks, and closing in. The sight of them vanquished the sleepy stupor from his mind.

"Can you tell who they are?" Magelord Tsunade's asked.

"No," Kakashi said, and he rose his voice. "Defensive perimeter."

A bustle of movement and the magewarriors encompassed Magelord Tsunade, a twenty foot circle formed. Sasuke stood behind and to Kakashi's left. He summoned fire and held it in his chest, its pleasant heat flooding his body, fighting the morning cold. Each breath he exhaled swayed in the air like a thick fog.

"Sons of bitches, can't get a night's rest," Naruto grumbled from his place in front of Magelord Tsunade, sword in one hand and a ball of wind swelling in the other.

The strangers approached until they were fifteen or so feet away from the front of the magewarrior squadron.

Magelord Tsunade raised a hand in front of her. "Don't come any closer. Who are you and what do you want?"

One of them stepped forward and pulled back his hood. He was a bald man with a long nose, middle aged, thin, black paint around his eyes. He spoke a few words in a sharp language Sasuke didn't understand, his tongue unnaturally cut in the middle. Forked like a snake.

"They're Dorago," Kakashi said.

"Can you understand the bastards?" Naruto asked.

"No."

"What is your purpose here?" Tsunade called to them.

Long Nose pointed a finger at Tsunade through Naruto and he spoke again, his tone like a bear's growl. Emotions, especially anger, crossed any language barrier.

The Dorago roared as one, and as one they exploded into movement and fire, a monstrous beast from history that reared up and pounced.

Just like that Sasuke played the game of combat he knew so well. He shot fire to counter an incoming ball of flame from the Dorago. Then another. Another. He saw Shikamaru's form evaporate into shadow as an arrow hit him. Magelord Tsunade in the fray, facing three Dorago alone, red flames wrapped around her red-cloaked figure. Naruto, yelling, grappled by two of the Dorago.

One of the them charged Sasuke with a curved sword, shrieking the whole while. Sasuke parried with his sword, returned a swipe, parried, stabbed. He parried one more savage strike, summoned fire into his palm, and slammed it into the tribeman's chest, sending him flying, shrieking the whole while just as he'd came.

A growl ripped through the battlefield chaos, turned into a scream, then a roar. It was Naruto, fire surging from his body to consume the two Dorago who clung to him, and shot past him like a massive tidal wave, just gliding by Master Kakashi. The intense heat pricked at Sasuke's skin from fifteen feet away, and the bitter stink of burnt flesh followed after.

Naruto's roar died down and his fire whiffed out. The screams and sobs of charred Dorago continued on for a moment, then died off.

The remaining tribesmen stopped their assault, turned, and fled, leaving bodies behind across the scorched planes. Maybe six of them. Some of the Fire Kingdom's magewarriors started to pursue but Magelord Tsunade called them back. Sasuke approached Naruto and the others, the adrenaline that flooded his being already gone. Naruto stood there, still, almost dumbstruck. Not as exhausted as one would imagine after such a display.

 _I didn't know he was so proficient with fire,_ Sasuke thought. He'd always been one for Wind.

"Check if any are alive," Master Asuma said. "We need to know why they attacked us, and if they're working with anyone."

They split up to examine the dead. Sasuke moved alongside Naruto to the closest member of the Dorago. He was a man of medium build, blackened from the neck down, the lower half his face red and peeling. He took shallow breaths.

"Here's one alive," Sasuke called to their leaders. _But not for long_. He glanced at Naruto who just looked down at the dying man with a blank expression.

The tribesman turned his head to gaze at Naruto, and something changed in the dying man's eyes. Maybe just the morning sunlight shifting. Maybe just his life fading, or maybe just surprise. But Sasuke could swear it was something else. Respect. Awe. Adoration.

That look remained in his eyes as he stopped breathing.

* * *

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed! Any criticism is appreciated, but I'm particularly looking for thoughts on characterization so far.


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